Friday, January 11, 2008

shall we take a snap?

here are pictures as i promised. it's just a small sample, but should give you an idea of the last week or so. enjoy!



a friendly elephant we met on our way out of the rotary district conference in madurai.



administering a polio vaccination to a child in need on national vaccination day, sponsored by the rotary club.



our group outside the clinic with the medical director and the rotarian in charge (they made us wear those lame hats).



on the shores of the bay of bengal.



the longest corridor in all of india, at the rameswaram temple.




a school in ramnad where the students prepared a cultural performance and asked us all sorts of interesting questions.



children leaving a school financed and run by the rotary clubs in sivakasi for underpriveleged kids.



the local temple in sivakasi.



canisters at a fireworks factory, a major industry in sivakasi, waiting to be filled with explosives.



a woman holding a big bowl of gun powder, filling canisters.



enjoying some sparklers after the factory tour. (i am planning to write more about this later. i asked a lot of questions of the owner about safety... i didn't see a single mask or piece of protective clothing, but there were volatile chemicals being used all over the place. the issue of working standards is an interesting one here. the working conditions in this factory were, in my opinion, awful. but, on the flip side, they are no worse than the conditions in which many of the people here live every day life. an interesting question i will think more about.)



the team dressed in traditional garb for the sivakasi rotary club meeting.



with my sivakasi host family, karthik (husband), achu (wife) and their son, viswa.

we leave here tomorrow for unknown internet access, but i will have a new post up as soon as possible!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

hi frances!
cool photos! you are so awesome, even while wearing awkward yellow hats.
love,
susan

Unknown said...

1. Karthik is a hunk.
2. You look great in a purple sari.
3. I'm still mystified by the red forehead-dots and what they mean.
4. Love them lame hats!
5. If you were on the Bay of Bengal, were you in Bangladesh? (Must consult world atlas).
6. Handling gunpowder .. holy s.
7. Am acquiring an increased respect for Rotary and what it does -- not just a bunch of back-slapping lunch-eaters.
8. Me = very jealous!

Anonymous said...

Amazing!

Anonymous said...

Love that hat, princess!

Can't believe you're almost almost half one done. Glad it's going well...hustle home. We miss you.

Anonymous said...

Francis! WOW what an amazing experience you are having. I love the photos and the yellow hats are the best :)
Joelle

Unknown said...

Francinie:

I'm loving all the pictures. It looks like you are having a fantastic time over there. And yes, you do look nice in a purple sari. Missing you lots over here. Lots and lots. I went to Toasters today and thought of you. We'll have to go there when you get back and catch up. I'll shoot you off an email sometime this week. In the mean time, love you, lady.